Scaevola plant named ‘Doscascapubi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant named ‘Doscascapubi’, characterized by its mounding to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; flowers that are purple in color; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOSCASCAPUBI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doscascapubi’.

The new Scaevola plant a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, mounding and early-flowering Scaevola plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Scaevola plant originated from a cross-pollination in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2019 of a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified by the code number CC17-000507-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified as code number CC17-001911-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parents. The new Scaevola plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2020.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2020 has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Scaevola have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Doscascapubi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Doscascapubi’ as a new and distinct Scaevola plant:

-   -   1. Mounding to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Flowers that are purple in color.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female and male parent selections. Plants of the new Scaevola differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color as plants of the new Scaevola have purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the parent selections are pink in color.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula ‘Purple Haze’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the ‘Purple Haze’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are shorter and broader than         plants of ‘Purple Haze’.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola have broader leaves than plants of         ‘Purple Haze’.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Purple Haze’.     -   4. Plants of the new Scaevola have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Purple Haze’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Scaevola plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola plant. The photograph is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Doscascapubi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Scaevola production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph was taken and 25 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula ‘Doscascapubi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number CC17-000507-001, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number CC17-001911-001, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically close to 162C in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding to outwardly spreading             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate             growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about eight             primary lateral branches each with about six secondary             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 60 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 70 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5 cm.         -   Aspect.—Mostly outwardly.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144A tinged with close to 200C.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Dentate; incisions relatively shallow in depth and             divergent.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A             tinged with close to 200B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat; flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing the reproductive organs.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; flowers mostly horizontal;             freely flowering habit with typically about 1510 flowers per             plant developing during the flowering season.         -   Flowering time.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering after about six weeks after planting; long flower             period, plants flower continuously from spring into the late             summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about five to seven             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Ensiform. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 148B and 83C.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.5 cm by 2.7 cm. Depth: About             2.6 cm. Throat diameter: About 3 mm. Tube length: About             1.1 cm. Tube diameter: About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five, fused at base. Length,             beyond tube: About 1.2 cm. Width, beyond tube: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire; not             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture, throat: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, tube: Pubescent; rough. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to N87A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to N87B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N87A; towards             the base, close to 2A; venation, close to 83A; color             becoming closer to N88B with subsequent development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N87C; venation, close to             83A; color becoming closer to N88C with subsequent             development. Throat: Close to 151B and 2A; venation, close             to 83A. Tube: Close to 151C; venation, close to 83A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: One large and two smaller             sepals fused at the base. Length, larger sepal: About             1.3 cm. Length, smaller sepals: About 5.7 mm. Width, larger             sepal: About 4.8 mm. Width, smaller sepals: About 0.9 mm.             Shape, all sepals: Lanceolate. Apex, all sepals: Acute.             Margin, all sepals: Entire. Texture and luster, all sepals,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, rough; matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to             146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Five or six. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color:             Close to 157D. Anther size: About 0.2 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther             shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 160B. Pollen:             Sparse. Pollen color: Close to 4C. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style             length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to N79A. Stigma             diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Oblate. Stigma color:             Close to 155A. Ovary color: Close to 144C.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per plant: About 100. Length: About 3 mm.             Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Texture: Rough. Color: Close to             203B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: One. Length: About 2.8 mm.             Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 200A. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 40° C. and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Scaevola have     not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Scaevola plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘Doscascapubi’ as illustrated and described. 